FORD ESCAPE 2022 Owners Manual

Traction AA A B C
WARNING: The traction
grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
The traction grades, from highest
to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled
conditions on specified
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature A B C
WARNING: The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B and C,
representing the tire’s resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 139. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
INFORMATION ON THE TIRE
SIDEWALL
Both United States and Canada
Federal regulations require tire
manufacturers to place
standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and
describes the fundamental
characteristics of the tire and also
provides a U.S. DOT Tire
Identification Number for safety
standard certification and in case
of a recall.
358
Wheel and Tire Information

Information on P Type Tires
H
I
J
KL
M
A
B
CDEFG
E142543
P215/65R15 95H is an example of
a tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle may be
different from this example.)
A.P: Indicates a tire, designated
by the Tire and Rim Association,
that may be used for service on
cars, sport utility vehicles,
minivans and light trucks. Note: If
your tire size does not begin with
a letter this may mean it is
designated by either the European
Tire and Rim Technical
Organization or the Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association. B.
215: Indicates the nominal
width of the tire in millimeters
from sidewall edge to sidewall
edge. In general, the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
C. 65: Indicates the aspect ratio
which gives the tire's ratio of
height to width.
D. R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E. 15: Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change
your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the
new wheel diameter.
F. 95: Indicates the tire's load
index. It is an index that relates to
how much weight a tire can carry.
You may find this information in
your owner’s manual. If not,
contact a local tire dealer.
Note: You may not find this
information on all tires because it
is not required by federal law.
G. H: Indicates the tire's speed
rating. The speed rating denotes
the speed at which a tire is
designed to be driven for extended
periods of time under a standard
condition of load and inflation
pressure. The tires on your vehicle
may operate at different
conditions for load and inflation
pressure. These speed ratings may
need to be adjusted for the
difference in conditions. The
ratings range from 81 mph
(130 km/h) to 186 mph
(299 km/h). These ratings are
listed in the following chart.
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Wheel and Tire Information

Note:You may not find this
information on all tires because it
is not required by federal law.
Speed rating
Letter
rating
81 mph (130 km/h)
M
87 mph (140 km/h)
N
99 mph (159 km/h)
Q
106 mph (171 km/h)
R
112 mph (180 km/h)
S
118 mph (190 km/h)
T
124 mph (200 km/h)
U
130 mph (210 km/h)
H
149 mph (240 km/h)
V
168 mph (270 km/h)
W
186 mph (299 km/h)
Y
Note: For tires with a maximum
speed capability over 149 mph
(240 km/h), tire manufacturers
sometimes use the letters ZR. For
those with a maximum speed
capability over 186 mph (299
km/h), tire manufacturers always
use the letters ZR.
H. U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number (TIN): This begins with
the letters DOT and indicates that
the tire meets all federal
standards. The next two numbers
or letters are the plant code
designating where it was
manufactured, the next two are the tire size code and the last four
numbers represent the week and
year the tire was built. For
example, the numbers 317 mean
the 31st week of 1997. After 2000,
the numbers go to four digits. For
example, 2501 means the 25th
week of 2001. The numbers in
between are identification codes
used for traceability. This
information is used to contact
customers if a tire defect requires
a recall.
I.
M+S or M/S: Mud and Snow, or
AT : All Terrain, or
AS: All Season.
J. Tire Ply Composition and
Material Used: Indicates the
number of plies or the number of
layers of rubber-coated fabric in
the tire tread and sidewall. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate
the ply materials in the tire and the
sidewall, which include steel,
nylon, polyester, and others.
K. Maximum Load: Indicates the
maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the
tire. See the Safety Compliance
Certification Label (affixed to
either the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post, or the door edge
that meets the door-latch post,
next to the driver's seating
position), for the correct tire
pressure for your vehicle.
L. Treadwear, Traction and
Temperature Grades:
360
Wheel and Tire Information

*Treadwear The treadwear grade
is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test
course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100.
*Traction: The traction grades,
from highest to lowest are AA, A,
B, and C. The grades represent the
tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
*Temperature: The temperature
grades are A (the highest), B and
C, representing the tire's
resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel.
M. Maximum Inflation
Pressure: Indicates the tire
manufacturers' maximum
permissible pressure or the
pressure at which the maximum
load can be carried by the tire. This
pressure is normally higher than
the vehicle manufacturer's
recommended cold inflation
pressure which can be found on
the Safety Compliance
Certification Label (affixed to
either the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch post,
next to the driver's seating
position), or Tire Label which is
located on the B-Pillar or the edge
of the driver’s door. The cold
inflation pressure should never be
set lower than the recommended
pressure on the vehicle label.
The tire suppliers may have
additional markings, notes or
warnings such as standard load
or radial tubeless.
Additional Information
Contained on the Tire Sidewall
for LT Type Tires
Note:
Tire Quality Grades do not
apply to this type of tire.
A
BC
BD
E142544
LT type tires have some additional
information beyond those of P
type tires; these differences are
described below.
361
Wheel and Tire Information

A.LT : Indicates a tire, designated
by the Tire and Rim Association,
that is intended for service on light
trucks.
B. Load Range and Load
Inflation Limits: Indicates the
tire's load-carrying capabilities
and its inflation limits.
C. Maximum Load Dual lb (kg)
at psi (kPa) cold: Indicates the
maximum load and tire pressure
when the tire is used as a dual,
defined as four tires on the rear
axle (a total of six or more tires on
the vehicle).
D. Maximum Load Single lb
(kg) at psi (kPa) cold: Indicates
the maximum load and tire
pressure when the tire is used as
a single, defined as two tires
(total) on the rear axle.
Information on T Type Tires
T145/80D16 is an example of a
tire size.
Note: The temporary tire size for
your vehicle may be different from
this example. Tire Quality Grades
do not apply to this type of tire.
A
BCD
E
E142545
T type tires have some additional
information beyond those of P
type tires; these differences are
described below:
A. T: Indicates a type of tire,
designated by the Tire and Rim
Association, that is intended for
temporary service on cars, sport
utility vehicles, minivans and light
trucks.
B. 145: Indicates the nominal
width of the tire in millimeters
from sidewall edge to sidewall
edge. In general, the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
362
Wheel and Tire Information

C.80: Indicates the aspect ratio
which gives the tire's ratio of
height to width. Numbers of 70 or
lower indicate a short sidewall.
D. D: Indicates a diagonal type tire.
R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E. 16: Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change
your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the
new wheel diameter.
GLOSSARY OF TIRE
TERMINOLOGY
*Tire label: A label showing the
original equipment tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure
and the maximum weight the
vehicle can carry.
*Tire Identification Number
(TIN): A number on the sidewall
of each tire providing information
about the tire brand and
manufacturing plant, tire size and
date of manufacture. Also referred
to as DOT code.
*Inflation pressure: A measure
of the amount of air in a tire.
*Standard load: A class of
P-metric or Metric tires designed
to carry a maximum load at set
pressure. For example: For
P-metric tires 35 psi (2.4 bar) and
for Metric tires 36 psi (2.5 bar).
Increasing the inflation pressure
beyond this pressure will not
increase the tire’s load carrying
capability. *Extra load:
A class of P-metric
or Metric tires designed to carry a
heavier maximum load at 42 psi
(2.9 bar). Increasing the inflation
pressure beyond this pressure will
not increase the tire’s load
carrying capability.
*kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of
air pressure.
*PSI: Pounds per square inch, a
standard unit of air pressure.
*Cold tire pressure: The tire
pressure when the vehicle has
been stationary and out of direct
sunlight for an hour or more and
prior to the vehicle being driven for
1 mi (1.6 km).
*Recommended inflation
pressure: The cold inflation
pressure found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge
pillar, door-latch post, or the door
edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver's seating
position), or Tire Label located on
the B-Pillar or the edge of the
driver door.
* B-pillar: The structural member
at the side of the vehicle behind
the front door.
*Bead area of the tire: Area of
the tire next to the rim.
* Sidewall of the tire: Area
between the bead area and the
tread.
363
Wheel and Tire Information

*Tread area of the tire: Area of
the perimeter of the tire that
contacts the road when mounted
on the vehicle.
* Rim: The metal support (wheel)
for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire
beads are seated.
TIRE REPLACEMENT
REQUIREMENTS
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide a safe ride
and handling capability.
WARNING: Only use
replacement tires and wheels
that are the same size, load
index, speed rating and type
(such as P-metric versus
LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally
provided by Ford. The
recommended tire and wheel
size may be found on either the
Safety Compliance Certification
Label (affixed to either the door
hinge pillar, door-latch post, or
the door edge that meets the
door-latch post, next to the
driver's seating position), or the
Tire Label which is located on
the B-Pillar or edge of the
driver's door. If this information
is not found on these labels, then
you should contact your
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Use of any tire or wheel
not recommended by Ford can
affect the safety and
performance of your vehicle,
which could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
WARNING: To reduce the
risk of serious injury, when
mounting replacement tires and
wheels, you should not exceed
the maximum pressure indicated
on the sidewall of the tire to set
the beads without additional
precautions listed below. If the
beads do not seat at the
maximum pressure indicated,
re-lubricate and try again.
WARNING: For a mounting
pressure more than 20 psi
(1.38 bar) greater than the
maximum pressure, a Ford
dealer or other tire service
professional should do the
mounting.
WARNING: Always inflate
steel carcass tires with a remote
air fill with the person inflating
standing at a minimum of 12 ft
(3.66 m) away from the wheel
and tire assembly.
364
Wheel and Tire Information

WARNING: When inflating
the tire for mounting pressures
up to 20 psi (1.38 bar) greater
than the maximum pressure on
the tire sidewall, the following
precautions must be taken to
protect the person mounting the
tire:
WARNING: Use only the
specified jacking points. If you
use other locations, you could
damage the body, steering,
suspension, engine, braking
system or the fuel lines.
• Make sure that you have the correct tire and wheel size.
• Lubricate the tire bead and wheel bead seat area again.
• Stand at a minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m) away from the wheel
and tire assembly.
• Use both eye and ear protection.
Important: Remember to replace
the wheel valve stems when the
road tires are replaced on your
vehicle.
It is recommended that the two
front tires or two rear tires
generally be replaced as a pair if
the worn tires still have usable
depth. To avoid potential All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) malfunction or (AWD)
system damage, it is
recommended to replace all four
tires rather than mixing
significantly worn tires with new
tires.
The tire pressure sensors mounted
in the wheels (originally installed
on your vehicle) are not designed
to be used in aftermarket wheels.
The use of wheels or tires not
recommended may affect the
operation of your tire pressure
monitoring system.
If the tire pressure monitoring
system indicator is flashing, your
system is malfunctioning. Your
replacement tire might be
incompatible with your tire
pressure monitoring system, or
some component of the system
may be damaged.
Age
WARNING: Tires degrade
over time depending on many
factors such as weather, storage
conditions, and conditions of use
(load, speed, inflation pressure)
the tires experience throughout
their lives.
365
Wheel and Tire Information

In general, tires should be
replaced after six years
regardless of tread wear.
However, heat caused by hot
climates or frequent high loading
conditions can accelerate the
aging process and may require
tires to be replaced more
frequently.
You should replace your spare
tire when you replace the road
tires or after six years due to
aging even if it has not been
used.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number
Both United States and Canada
Federal regulations require tire
manufacturers to place
standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and
describes the fundamental
characteristics of the tire and also
provides a U.S. DOT Tire
Identification Number for safety
standard certification and in case
of a recall.
This begins with the letters DOT
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The next
two numbers or letters are the
plant code designating where it
was manufactured, the next two
are the tire size code and the last
four numbers represent the week
and year the tire was built. For
example, the numbers 317 mean
the 31st week of 1997. After 2000, the numbers go to four digits. For
example, 2501 means the 25th
week of 2001. The numbers in
between are identification codes
used for traceability. This
information is used to contact
customers if a tire defect requires
a recall.
USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING:
Do not exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h). Failure to follow this
instruction could result in the loss of
control of your vehicle, personal injury or
death.
WARNING: Do not use snow chains
on snow-free roads.
WARNING: Only fit snow chains to
specified tires.
WARNING: If your vehicle is fitted
with wheel trims, remove them before
fitting snow chains.
WARNING: If you are driving in
slippery conditions that require tire
chains or cables, then it is critical that
you drive cautiously. Keep speeds down,
allow for longer stopping distances and
avoid aggressive steering to reduce the
chances of a loss of vehicle control
which can lead to serious injury or death.
If the rear end of your vehicle slides while
cornering, steer in the direction of the
slide until you regain control of your
vehicle.
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Wheel and Tire Information

WARNING: Remember that even
advanced technology cannot defy the
laws of physics. It's always possible to
lose control of a vehicle due to
inappropriate driver input for the
conditions. Aggressive driving on any
road condition can cause you to lose
control of your vehicle increasing the risk
of personal injury or property damage.
Activation of the electronic stability
control system is an indication that at
least some of the tires have exceeded
their ability to grip the road; this could
reduce the operator's ability to control
the vehicle potentially resulting in a loss
of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death.
WARNING: Wheels and tires must
be the same size, load index and speed
rating as those originally fitted on the
vehicle. Use of any other tire or wheel
can affect the safety and performance
of your vehicle. Additionally, the use of
non-recommended tires and wheels can
cause steering, suspension, axle, transfer
case or power transfer unit failure.
Follow the recommended tire inflation
pressures found on the Safety
Compliance Certification label, or the
Tire Label on the B-Pillar or the edge of
the driver door. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, or personal injury
or death.
The tires on your vehicle could have
all-weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. In some climates you will
need to use snow tires and chains on your
vehicle in emergency situations or if
required by law.
Note: The suspension insulation and
bumpers will help prevent vehicle damage.
Do not remove these components from your
vehicle when using snow tires and chains. Note:
Driving too fast for road conditions
creates the possibility of loss of vehicle
control. Driving at very high speeds for
extended periods of time may result in
damage to vehicle components.
Follow these guidelines when using snow
tires and chains:
• Chains may damage aluminum wheels.
• Use ultra low profile cables, 10 mm or less in dimension as measured on the
sidewall of your tire, only with
225/60R18 all season tires.
• Do not use snow chains or cables with 225/55R19, or 245/45R20.
• Not all S-class snow chains or cables meet these restrictions. Chains of this
size restriction will include a tensioning
device.
• Purchase chains or cables from a manufacturer that clearly labels body
to tire dimension restrictions. The snow
chains or cables must be mounted in
pairs on the rear tires only.
• When driving with snow chains do not exceed 30 mph (50 km/h) or the
maximum speed recommended by the
chain manufacturer, whichever is less.
• Install cables securely, verifying that the cables do not touch any wiring or
brake lines.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables rub or bang against the vehicle, stop
and retighten them. If this does not
work, remove the cables to prevent
vehicle damage.
• Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use tire
chains on dry roads.
If you have any questions regarding snow
chains or cables, please contact your
authorized dealer.
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Wheel and Tire Information